Shalom from Zion,

The rise of horrific incidents worldwide seem to line up with the Bible's warning of the end coming like a woman with birth-pains increasing in pain and frequency. If this is true, then the need of the hour for God's children is persistent, biblical intercession – a cry for His Kingdom to come and His will to be done on earth as in heaven (Luke 11:2).

Consider the power of intercession

God's nature does not change (Mal. 3:6; Jam. 1:17), yet He can change His mind and be persuaded in response to prayer. If this is not true, then all the exhortations to prayer and examples of intercession in Scripture are fairy-tales. Yet many times we read of God seeking those who will stand in the gap before Him and plead for mercy in the face of His divine right to execute judgement.

Ezekiel 22:30-31 relates that God seeks to find an intercessor prevailing in prayer before Him (Jam. 5:16-18), so that He can display His attribute of mercy. But if no reason or intercessor is found, His righteous judgment will be released. I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before Me for the land, that I not destroy it: but I found none. Therefore have I poured out My indignation on them; I have consumed them with the fire of My wrath: their own way have I recompensed upon their heads, says the Lord YHWH.

In Genesis 18:17, God questions whether He can hide from Abraham what He is about to do to Sodom and Gomorrah. He knew Abraham would stand in the gap for those wicked cities. While Abraham's intercession altered God's plan, yet there were not enough righteous found to hold back God's judgment.

It is eye-opening to read in Ezekiel 16:49 that the first reason for Sodom's destruction was not sodomy – but pride! Today we have Gay Pride parades and see an arrogant boastful attitude of humanity rising against God.

In Exodus 32 Moses exhibits biblical intercession. Again it is God who brings up the reason for His judgment on His people to Moses. If God only wanted to destroy Israel for worshipping the golden calf, He would have said nothing. After He tells Moses what He wants to do, He says, "Leave Me alone!" (Ex. 32:10a AV) Imagine, the Creator of all saying to His creature, "Do not interfere; move out of My way."

Moses must have sensed God was testing him as he disobeyed and stood before Him, arguing that He must "repent" – change His mind – about destroying Israel. Moses never cited Israel's sin or made excuses for them. Instead, his prayer is focused on what would happen to God's name, that is, His reputation, and to His promises. Seeking God's glory as the goal of intercession always gets His attention – even if we do not always get the answers we are asking for (Psa. 79:9-10; 115:1-3).

There are many other examples in the Tanach of intercession being done for God's glory. And we see the same goal with the Lord Yeshua's death on a cross – His mediation between God and man (1 Tim. 2:5). We deserve unmerciful judgments, but because the Father sent an intercessor to stand in the gap for us, we are now recipients of His amazing grace. And Messiah continues to intercede for us – to save us finally and completely (Heb. 7:25).

2019 Israeli national elections

We asked God to overrule man's plans (Psa. 33:10-11; 103:19; Prov. 19:21) and to raise up His choice to lead His nation at this time (Psa. 75:6-7; Dan. 2:21). God heard our specific request for Prime Minister [PM] Bibi Netanyahu to be re-elected. Coalition negotiations among the parties to form the next government can take many weeks. Pray along with us by reading the Intercessors for Israel Friday Prayer Alerts [sign up: www.ifi.org.il].

While there is a possibility of Bibi being indicted for various "crimes," he has not yet been indicted. We were not praying or voting for a fully sanctified saint. Netanyahu is a politician, and what his relationship with God is only God really knows. He has been a strong, outspoken leader for Israel for years, with many accomplishments that seem to be God-inspired. Yet he is only a man, and when God chooses leaders of nations, even His chosen nation, He has to pick a flesh-and-blood person – either a sinner, or a saint who struggles with sin. Those are the choices.

Many great world leaders had questionable moral lives and the things Netanyahu has been accused of are borderline issues. Still we pray for God to ultimately set up over Israel those shepherds after His own heart that He has promised (Jer. 3:15; 23:4).

Arise, shine

One of the most encouraging signs to come out of this election is that the younger generation of Israelis overwhelmingly voted for Likud and parties to the right. As "American millennials" lean heavily towards liberal politics, "young Israeli Jews have gone the opposite direction," identifying with the conservative right much more than their parents. A 2018 Israeli Democracy Index annual study showed about 64% of Israeli Jews "aged 18-34 identify as right wing, compared to 47% of those 35 and older." And a survey taken a week before the elections "found a direct correlation between age and support for," Netanyahu, with 65% aged 18-24, and 53% aged 25-34, favoring him.

This trend of younger voters being right-wing probably results from "the events that shaped their formative years." They were not yet born in "the heyday of the peace process in the '90s," but "grew up during the 2nd intifada, which saw hundreds of Israelis killed in suicide bombings." The demonic fruit from 2005's Gaza disengagement, occurring as they were between 4 to 20 years old, "led many young Jewish Israelis to resent any leader who is willing to cede any more land currently under Israeli control." With many of them having served in the IDF, the Gaza wars only hardened that viewpoint, which is another answer to prayer.

A Likud spokesman noted that "people who grew up in the middle of the Al-Aqsa intifada don't trust the Palestinians, don't believe in peace. They really want there to be peace, but there is no partner."

Israeli political analyst D. Scheindlin said that for younger religious Zionist voters, the Gaza disengagement, expelling over 8,000 Jews, "was considered an absolutely devastating moment that they've vowed never to return to. The general narrative is, we gave up this land; they sent rockets in return…The national religious have considered it a national trauma ever since then."

Besides being raised in constant conflict, this group is "shaped by their religiosity." A larger percentage of them are Orthodox and religiously Zionist than in the past, and they "tend to be more right wing." We see this in America as well, as those who are more "religious," that is Bible-believing, are more right-wing.

"Right-wing parties have also attracted young voters because they prefer the same platform: social media." Scheindlin notes, "Bibi hates interviews," and prefers "a completely controlled narrative," so he leans heavily on "the use of social media…Two of his closest advisers are his social media advisers." ("Younger voters have grown more conservative over time," JP, 11 Apr. 2019)

Which border can Israel defend?

Israel's UK ambassador Mark Regev, interviewed on BBC about Israel's actions along the Gaza Strip security fence [where Hamas has organized deadly demonstrations since last March], was asked about Israel's tactics there. Regev said everyone "knows it is a war zone," so why does Hamas bus women and children into that area? Israel pulled out of Gaza and "redeployed behind the 1967 line, which is…the recognized border…If we can't defend that border, what border would you have us defend?"

Regev added that the goal of the riots, "articulated by Hamas," is "to break in and kill our people." ("Israeli ambassador Regev defends Israel's actions at Gaza border in BBC interview," www.thejc.com, 18 Jan. 2019

History distorted

Raymond Ibrahim, author and commentator on Islam's historical and current war on Christianity, asks, "How can a fundamentally weak Muslim world be a threat to an economically and militarily superior West?" One answer is how the West views Islam today, "compared to its actual historic experiences with Islam." From its first contact with "Western civilization" and for centuries after, Muslims acted like today's Islamic State terrorists, convinced "that Islam commands war on, and the enslavement or slaughter of, non-Muslims." Starting in the 7th century, almost 75% "of Christendom's original territory" was taken by Islam, including areas of "Portugal, Spain, France, Italy, Iceland, Denmark, England, Sicily, Switzerland, Austria, Hungary, Greece, Russia, Poland, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Lithuania, Romania, Albania, Serbia, Armenia, Georgia, Crete, Cyprus, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Macedonia, Belarus, Malta and Sardinia."

From the 15th to the 18th centuries, "approximately five million Europeans were abducted and enslaved in the name of jihad." The European slaves taken from the 8th to the 11th centuries are uncounted. "The largest Islamic army ever to invade" Europe, some 200,000 Muslims, tried to conquer Vienna in 1683, but failed. Yet the so-called Barbary Pirates of North Africa, Islamic slave-traders, "wreaked havoc all along the coasts of Europe…" America's first war, fought before it elected its first president, was against these Muslim pirates.

Yet, defeating Islam, Europe became arrogant. As historian Hilaire Belloc (b. 1870) noted at the height of Western might and Muslim weakness, multitudes in "Europe and America, have forgotten all about Islam," thinking it is finished, but it is "the most formidable, persistent enemy which our civilization has had and may at any moment become as large a menace in the future as it has been in the past."

Ibrahim says, worse than "forgetting" is how today's West rewrites "history to fit its postmodern paradigms." In academia, the news, and Hollywood, "the predominant historic narrative is that Muslims are the historic victims of intolerant Western Christians." History books aid this distortion, talking "of 'Arab', 'Moorish', 'Ottoman', or 'Tatar', rarely Islamic, invasions, without mentioning that the selfsame rationale, jihad, impelled those otherwise diverse peoples to assault the West."

Many argue this is past history; let's move on and "begin a new chapter of mutual tolerance and respect," even if history must be forgotten. Yet Muslims "are still exhibiting the same imperial impulse and intolerant supremacism of their forbears" as over 215 million Christians are under "high levels of persecution," and many other "infidels" face "genocide in the name of jihad." ("The dire consequences of rewriting Western-Muslim history," R. Ibrahim, JP Op-ed, 24 Nov. 2018

Trump recognizes the Golan Heights as Israeli

US President Trump tweeted on March 21st, "After 52 years it is time for the US to fully recognize Israel's sovereignty over the Golan Heights, which is of critical strategic and security importance to the State of Israel & Regional Stability!" Bibi phoned Trump, and thanked him for "making history."

Later, with US Secretary of State Pompeo, Bibi said, "[Trump] recognized Jerusalem as Israel's capital and moved the US embassy here. Then, he pulled out of the disastrous Iran treaty and re-imposed sanctions. But now, he did something of equal historic importance," adding that this comes as "Iran is trying to use Syria as a platform to attack and destroy Israel… We're celebrating Purim, when 2,500 years ago, other Persians [ancient Iranians], led by Haman, tried to destroy the Jewish people," They failed then, and today's "Persians led by Khamenei are again trying to destroy the Jewish people and the Jewish state. They're going to fail again." ("Trump: It is time for the US to recognize Israel's sovereignty over the Golan Heights," JP, 21 Mar. 2019)

Most of the reasons expressed for this move were linked to security, but there is a deep biblical link between Israel and the Golan, aka "Bashan" in Scripture, and a lengthy historical link. As Haim Rokach, head of the Golan Regional Council wrote that in the 52 years since Israel regained "the Golan, 34 ancient synagogues from different points in history have been discovered there, far more than anywhere else in the country." ("Affirming an ancient bond," H. Rokach, Israel Hayom Op-ed, 22 Mar. 2019)

ICEJ's David Parsons wrote, "[It] would be amiss to claim that Trump just 'gave' the Golan to Israel, because God already did that long ago." The world claims Israel "illegally 'occupied' the Golan Heights ever since it captured the area from Syria" in the 1967 Six Day War, as if "it was always Syrian territory." Yet the Golan is part of the land "promised to Abraham and his descendants" (Gen. 15:18-21). "Bashan …was conquered under Moses and Joshua… some 3500 years ago [see Deut. chapters 3-4], and was the inheritance of the tribe of Manasseh."

France and Great Britain bickered over the Golan, in dividing up the Ottoman Empire before the end of WWI. "In the secret Sykes-Picot agreement of 1916, Britain caved to French demands that the Golan be included in its mandate for Syria," because of its water sources, yet Jewish benefactors, via the Jewish National Fund, "had already purchased large tracts of land on the Golan in anticipation of settling Jews there…"

Syria ended up with the Golan, and with Syria's independence it made it a "massive military base," forbidding civilians to live there, except for "three ancient Druze villages…From their fortified positions…Syrian gunners routinely took target practice at Jewish farmers in their fields and fisherman" on the Sea of Galilee. This constant bombardment "tested Israeli resolve… but tensions ratcheted up to a new level in 1964" as Syria began, "to divert the headwaters of the Jordan River" located on the Golan. "Some historians say this…was the original spark of the 1967 conflict." ("'Gift' of the Golan?" D. Parsons, ICEJ News Briefs, 29 Mar. 2019)

After Trump's move, the EU issued this statement: "We do not recognize Israeli sovereignty over the Golan." ("Israel will protect Europe, even if Europe doesn't deserve it," G. Meotti, Arutz 7 Op-ed, 27 Mar. 2019)

International law expert, Alan Dershowitz, said the EU gave no "compelling argument beyond its usual demand that the status quo not be changed." Yet Israel's control over the Golan has been the status quo for 52 years, and its "legitimate need to control the heights has only increased over time, with war in Syria, and the presence of Iranian and Hezbollah military" now on its borders. Does the EU really want Israel to hand the Golan to Syria today? "Has any European country ever handed over high ground, captured in a defensive war, to a sworn enemy?" After both world wars, "European countries made territorial adjustments to help preserve the peace. Why should the EU subject Israel to a double standard it has never demanded of itself?" ("Trump Is Right about the Golan Heights," A. Dershowitz, Gatestone Institute, 30 Mar. 2019)

Israel & Russia

In March, a vital meeting in Moscow between Netanyahu and Russian President Putin took place. Former Israeli ambassador Zalman Shoval said that the top agenda item "was Iran's extensive activity in Syria. Given that Russia's establishing itself in the region has become" a reality, "Moscow is now a central player in any scenario in this respect."

Iran, Israel's main and immediate security threat, is "actively pursuing its goal of creating a strategic corridor toward the Mediterranean and enhancing the capabilities and activities of its proxies such as Hezbollah…" In response, Israel has taken "multi-faceted actions to prevent the formation of an Iranian front in Syria." Militarily, there has been significant success, yet Russia's role in what happens next is vital.

"Relations between Russia and Iran with regard to Syria are based on shared, not necessarily long-range, interests – which both see as mutually beneficial for the moment. But there are also opposing interests," so that "Russia's attitude toward Israel's strategic aims, specifically its military operations," is impacted by various and often conflicting factors. Some say Moscow may even be happy with the Israeli anti-Iranian actions, "provided they don't jeopardize its direct interests or endanger Russian forces there."

Under Putin, "Russia strives to establish its standing in the ME, not at Israel's expense, but rather by including Israel."

Shoval says, "Diplomatic history is sure to mark Netanyahu's act of balancing Israel's fundamental relations with America with its pragmatic coordination with Russia on Syria, without the latter being perceived by Washington as negatively affecting its global interests, as major diplomatic achievements. And Israel is acting wisely in operating with full transparency toward the US in this and other respects, keeping in mind that the US is Israel's long-term strategic and value-based ally, while Russia is an important and practical partner in dealing with certain particular issues." ("The Netanyahu-Putin entente," Z. Shoval, JP Op-ed, 29 Mar. 2019)

The peace idol in today's world

Most of the world demands a peace between the Palestinians and Israel based on a "two-state solution." Not long ago, there was another "solution" to the Jewish problem – Hitler's Final Solution! Yet regardless of how nice "peace" sounds, Israel dare not barter with its God-given inheritance of the Promise Land – which is His land (Lev. 25:23; Joel 3:2). Far better to have God on Israel's side and the world against it, rather than having the world's support if Israel turns its back to Him (Psa. 118:6, 8-9).

In Feb., a senior US official rejected the notion that some sort of "equivalency" between the Israeli and Palestinian sides was necessary to "mediate a final-status peace deal." He said Trump's administration "is proudly supportive of Israel and does not feel the need to try to counterbalance a pro-Israel statement with some carrots for the Palestinians," nor is the US "embarrassed to defend Israel where Israel needs to be defended…"

Asked about the opinion that the US is no longer an "honest broker," the official dismissed that. "We don't believe that in order for us to work on a peace effort we need to have an equivalency, where we can only say certain things about Israel if …we also say something about the Palestinians… [We] speak the truth. The truth may be uncomfortable for some people. But we cannot solve the conflict without being open and honest."

The official hopes that once their "peace" plan is seen, and as of this writing it is not, Palestinian leaders will see how much their people can gain, yet he added, the "US will not try to force either side to accept the peace proposal…" ("US: The fact that we're pro-Israel doesn't mean we can't mediate peace," TOI, 5 Feb. 2019) For America's sake, we pray that last statement is true!

Peace with whom?

Peace is a wonderful goal, but if there is a cruel enemy who wants all Jews dead because the 'god' they submit to commands this – then there is no one with whom Israel can make true peace. The world and many in the Church need to fully digest this reality.

Israeli Arab Muslim Khaled Abu Toameh exposed how the Palestinians are now using "Islam to justify their vehement opposition to normalization of relations with Israel." Palestinian Authority officials have "warned Arab states that normalization with Israel is tantamount to treachery," and a "stab in the back of the Palestinians." However, seeing "that their appeals to the Arab countries are falling on deaf ears," the Gaza-based Palestinian Scholars' Association issued a fatwa, an Islamic religious opinion, to turn "the conflict with Israel into a religious one."

It states that, "normalization with the Zionist enemy, and accepting it in the region," is very dangerous to "the Muslim community and a threat to its security, as well as a corruption of its doctrine…" It gives power to the "Jews over the land of the Muslims," and implies, "surrender to the infidels…"

They are reminding Arab leaders of Hamas' Charter which says: "The land of Palestine is an Islamic Waqf consecrated for future Muslim generations until Judgement Day." No Arab nation, leader or group has the right to give up any part of it.

This fatwa shows that "if some Arabs sign peace treaties with Israel, there will always be Muslims who will denounce them as 'traitors' and accuse them of acting against the Koran and the rulings of Islam." This removes the chance of any Palestinian leader agreeing "to any form of reconciliation and normalization with the 'Zionist enemy'." ("Palestinians: No Peace or Reconciliation with the 'Infidels'," K. Abu Toameh, Gatestone Institute, 4 Mar. 2019)

Bassam Tawil, an Arab Muslim, said Hamas diverts attention from its own leadership woes in Gaza by attacking Israel. Then as Israel defends itself, Hamas tells "its people there is no room for internal fighting and disputes 'because we are under attack by the Jews'." Any Gazan daring to criticize Hamas then would be labeled "a 'traitor' and 'collaborator' with the 'Zionist enemy'."

That recently happened. Two rockets were fired at Tel Aviv "shortly after thousands" of Gazans had openly protested "the horrific economic situation there – that funds intended for them had apparently been diverted to finance terrorism," and demanded an end to "Hamas' repressive measures against its people…"

The rocket attack and Israel's inevitable military response on Hamas and Islamic Jihad targets, blocked out all news of these demonstrations, or Hamas' vicious tactics in dealing with them. Shortly after, Hamas "security officers opened fire on hundreds of peaceful Palestinian protesters." Eyewitnesses also reported that many children were "brutally beaten" by Hamas.

Hamas seized control of Gaza from the Palestinian Authority twelve years ago, and has held the nearly two million Gazans there hostage. Even many Palestinians say Hamas is committing "war crimes and crimes against humanity." Yet instead of dealing with Hamas, "the hypocrites at the UN, the international media and other international forums" blast Israel for "defending itself against rockets and missiles that are fired" on Israeli civilians.

Recently, "UN human rights 'experts' claimed Israel may have committed war crimes by shooting at Palestinian demonstrators who tried to breach the Gaza-Israel border fence and infiltrate into Israel." Yet most of the demonstrators were admitted by Hamas and Islamic Jihad to be their members. So Israel gets "accused of war crimes for defending its border against terrorists attempting to infiltrate it in order to murder or kidnap Israelis," yet Hamas' leaders get a free pass as they commit "war crimes against Jews, and… against their own people." ("Hamas War Crimes against Israel, Palestinians," B. Tawil, Gatestone Institute, 18 Mar. 2019)

Iran's growing threats against Israel

Dr. Majid Rafizadeh, a Harvard-educated political scientist, and president of the International American Council on the Middle East, said, "Iran's military activities and clear public threats to annihilate Israel continue to grow in frequency and intensity… With such dire promises of conflict, it would be expected that the international news media and politicians," would speak up. But Iran's behavior is "cozied up to at worst, or at best, ignored."

One of Iran's "core pillars and revolutionary ideals" is to see Israel destroyed. It is also a religious prophecy of the Islamic Republic's founder, Ayatollah Khomeini, and of today's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khamenei. Both declared Israel will be wiped off the map, and as "Iran's theocratic establishment believes the Supreme Leader is Allah's representative on earth," whatever they say, "must be brought to life by Allah's true believers." So Iran's goal to annihilate Israel will fulfill "religious prophecy," as well as result in "strategic and geopolitical victories – in Iraq, Syria, Yemen, Lebanon and the Gaza Strip."

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Deputy Commander recently said, "Our strategy is to erase Israel from the global political map," and Khamenei tweeted, "the Zionist regime will perish" in the near future. Rafizadeh said these boasts are based on the outcome of the Syrian civil war, which has enabled Iran to build military bases there, with some even near the Israeli border.

Rafizadeh: "It is mind-boggling that some politicians and governments, including the EU, criticize Israel for its ME policy and then turn a blind eye to Iran's military buildup near Israel's border – all while Iran fires missiles and rockets into Israel from Syria, ships ballistic missiles to…Hezbollah, and continues to threaten to annihilate Israel in the near future. When will the international community begin to take the Iranian government's clear verbal threats and physical aggression seriously? Or would the international community secretly like to see Israel destroyed, under Europe's Orwellian inversion of the words: 'the peace process?' ("Iran Inches Closer to its Goal: 'Wipe Israel off the Map'," M. Rafizadeh, Gatestone Institute, 16 Mar. 2019)

History has taught us Jews to believe the threats of our enemies more than the promises of our friends! Yet God's enemies have been declaring Israel's destruction for almost 3,000 years (see Psa. 83:1-4); this is nothing new and will not succeed.

Anti-Semitism's growth

The largest survey on anti-Semitism ever (16,400 respondents; 28 EU nations), revealed that 38% of Europe's Jews are thinking of leaving because of anti-Semitism's recent growth. 89% said anti-Semitism in the EU "had risen significantly in the past five years," and almost one third reported being a victim. The most common anti-Semitic comments heard included "Jews have too much power and influence"; "Jews exploit the Holocaust for their own interests"; and "Israel treats the Palestinians like the Nazis treated the Jews." ("Survey: 38% of Jews in Europe are thinking about leaving," Israel Hayom, 9 Dec. 2018)

Islamic anti-Semitism

Rafael Castro, a Yale and Hebrew University educated political analyst, wrote, "Many educated people believe that anti-Semitism is a regrettable, yet altogether recent phenomenon in the Muslim World. In their Islamophile view of history, Jews and Muslims lived peacefully together until Zionism ruined their idyllic coexistence. This argument implies Jews are to blame for anti-Semitism in the Muslim World." Thus the burden of restoring Middle East peace rests on Jews.

Before 1948, the Muslim World was "less inhospitable to Jews than Europe," yet to conclude from this "that Islamic tolerance was the forerunner of modern liberal democracies' respect of religious minorities is an insult to the Jews, Hindus, Buddhists, Zoroastrians, Alevites, Armenians, Yazidis and other religious minorities massacred in the name of Islam."

Israel's rebirth sparked "Jew-hatred in the Islamic World only comparable to that of Nazi Germany. The fact Hamas would rather starve the children of Gaza than coexist with a Jewish neighbor" is one example, as is the hatred found on many modern Muslims' social media pages. "Claims that Jews are the driving force behind ISIS, that Jewish bankers are to blame for the misery of Muslim countries, that Israelis treat Palestinians worse than Nazis treated Jews," are all found there.

Yet since more Muslims have been massacred by Muslims than killed by Israel since 1948, we can only understand this by seeing that historically, "Islamic benevolence towards the Jews" was based on total "subjugation of Jews to Islamic supremacy. Jewish docility" proved to Muslims that Islam was the supreme faith.

"The establishment of Israel shook Islamic self-confidence to its core." Initially, many expected Israel would be defeated by Allah, based on "Islamic scriptures deriding Jews for cowardly loving peace and avoiding bloodshed. Israel has however not failed," but, as Ezekiel 37:10 says, Israel has become "an exceedingly great army."

Castro said Israel's values clash with Islamic ideology. Israel, which "embraces peace and justice as paramount values, where religious diversity is cherished and respected and where leaders …secular or religious, are openly subject to criticism and ridicule, is the greatest threat to their worldview." ("Is Islamic anti-Zionism comparable to Nazi anti-Semitism?" R. Castro, Arutz 7 Op-ed, 14 Dec. 2018)

Behold! So shall the man be blessed who fears YHWH.
YHWH shall bless you out of Zion;
and you shall see the good of Jerusalem all the days of your life.Psalms 128:4-5

Chuck & Karen Cohen